Apparatus for scoring and coiling fish paste

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for shaping a product of fish-paste which provides moving a fish-paste sheet having grooves on one or both surfaces thereof in its length direction, curling the sheet obliquely to the sheet-moving direction with one lateral edge of the sheet as a core to form a rolled-up article, pulling the resulting rolled-up body in a direction parallel to the sheet-moving direction around a rolling post installed outside of the opposite lateral edge line of the sheet.

This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 630,760, filed July 13,1984.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a process for producing shaped marine-pasteproducts (hereinafter referred to as "fish-paste products") and the likeand to an apparatus therefor. More particularly, this invention relatesto a process for rolling up a sheet-like fish-paste material into arod-like shaped product or a roll and to an apparatus therefor.

Rod-like shaped products which are composed of assembled noodle-likefish-paste materials and colored suitably have been popular as so-calledcrab meat (leg)-like products or scallop muscle-like products.

As a method for producing such rod-like molded products, a process forassembling noodle-like fish paste materials into the rod-like productshas been known. It is not easy, however, to form a fish-paste materialinto such a noodle-like materials and also to assemble or bundle thenoodle-like material into the rod-like product.

In this respect, a process for producing a rod-like product withoutusing such a noodle-like material has been proposed, which comprisesforming a fish-paste product into a sheet, cutting parallel incisionlines or grooves in the sheet to such a depth that the sheet is not cutoff, and enrolling or rolling up the grooved sheet into a rod-likeproduct with its axis parallel with the grooves. This process may besaid to solve the above mentioned problems in that individualnoodle-like shaped strands are not used, but an incised or grooved sheeteasy to handle corresponding to a sheet of parallelly bonded noodle-likestrands is utilized in the process.

Such conventional processes of rolling up the fish-paste sheet products,however, require a multiplicity of rollers for the rolling-up operation,whereby these processes are not always satisfactory with respect to thecost of manufacture, operation and cleaning of the apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a processfor shaping fish-paste products which process has been improved withrespect to the above mentioned points and an apparatus therefor.

The process for shaping fish-paste products from fish-paste materialsaccording to the present invention comprises the steps of:

(1) preparing a sheet composed of a fish-paste material of specificwidth and indefinite length having parallel incised lines (hereinafterreferred to as "grooves") cut in the lengthwise direction on at leastone of the opposite surfaces of the sheet;

(2) causing the sheet to travel in its lengthwise direction by applyingtension to at least its or leading or downstream end in the lengthwisedirection;

(3) spirally and obliquely curling the thus traveling sheet at the frontend portion thereof into a curled body having a lateral edge of thesheet as a core and extending obliquely to the sheet traveling directionand outward beyond the opposite lateral edge of the sheet;

(4) pulling the resulting curled body in a direction substantiallyparallel to the sheet-moving direction, the curled body being inflectedat a point on or outside of the extension line of said opposite lateraledge of the sheet, at which point the curled body is supported againstthe force so biasing the curled body that it tends to be parallel to thesheet-moving direction due to the pulling, thereby causing the tensionto be applied to the sheet and the sheet to be rolled up into arolled-up article; and then

(5) subjecting the rolled-up article to further processing.

The apparatus for shaping fish-paste products from fish-paste materialsaccording to the present invention comprises the combination of thefollowing means:

a pair of cooperative rolls provided with cutting blades and operatingto clamp therebetween a traveling paste sheet of specific width andindefinite length and to form incision lines or grooves in thelengthwise direction of the sheet on at least one surface thereof;

conveying means for supporting the sheet emerging from between saidrolls and for causing the sheet to travel in the lengthwise directionthereof, the sheet, while thus traveling, being subjected to tensionapplied to the leading or downstream end thereof and being spirally andobliquely curled into a curled body having a lateral edge of the sheetas a core and extending obliquely to the sheet traveling direction andoutward beyond the opposite lateral edge of the sheet;

guide post means disposed with its axis perpendicular to the surface ofthe sheet at a position on or outside of the extension line of saidopposite lateral edge and functioning to inflect the path of travel ofsaid curled body wrappingly passed therearound from the obliquedirection to a direction substantially parallel to the sheet traveldirection, the curled body thereby being shaped into a rolled-uparticle; and

tensioning means for applying a drawing force to said rolled-up articlethereby to apply aforesaid tension and cause the curled body to travelaround and past the guide post means.

According to the present invention, the desired roll article can beobtained by using only a single roller (more generally with a singlerolling post means, as detailed below) and essentially by merely pullingthe fish-paste material sheet in the operation of rolling up the sheet.Thus, the process is very simple, and the manufacture, operation, andcleaning of the shaping apparatus are also very simple.

The reason why the rolled-up article can be produced by the use of asingle roller having its axis perpendicular to the surface of the sheethas not been fully clarified. It may be considered, however, that aforce component contributing to rolling up of the sheet is createdbetween the roller and the rolled-up article in contact therewith as aresult of the once shaped rolled-up article being inflected in itsmoving direction by the roller.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view indicating the principle of rolling up afish-paste sheet in accordance with the present invention

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a shaping apparatus inaccordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-section, of a plane X-Y of FIG. 1, of therolled-up article produced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Shaping Method

Preparation of the grooved sheet

A sheet of specific width but indefinite length composed of amarine-paste product and having grooves incised in its lengthwisedirection on at least one of its opposite surfaces can be prepared bycarrying out the step of forming a paste sheet of specific width andthickness and the step of incising the grooves on the front and/or backsurface of the sheet in this order, or by carrying out the above twosteps simultaneously.

The fish-paste sheet with the specific width and indefinite length(i.e., a belt-like product) has been known as described above. Also inthe present process, the sheet with specific width can be produced bythe step of extrusion through a casting die or slit die of a fish-pastematerial comprising ground fish meat as the main material and otheroptional auxiliary materials such as seasoning agents, flavoring,coloring agent, and crab meat (in the case of crab meat (leg)-likeproducts), and the steps of roller treatment, chopping and the like. Inthe case of the crab meat (leg)-like products, the thickness of thesheet is ordinarily in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 4.5 mm, andthe width in the range of about 40 mm to about 500 mm.

The sheet has the grooves inscribed on at least one of its two surfaces.The parallel incisions or "grooves" should be produced to such depththat the sheet is not cut off. The grooves should also be produced, inaccordance with the intended shape products, at the spacing intervalssimilar to those of the textures of crab leg meat, scallop muscle meat,or the like. In general, the interval is substantially the same as thatof the thickness of the sheet.

Such grooves can be inscribed by any suitable method. One of thepreferred methods is to pass the sheet through a pair of rolls forforming grooves. Such rolls for forming the grooves have a clearancebetween the rolls for passage of the sheet corresponding to the crosssection of the grooved sheet and are provided with a plurality ofcutting blades arranged on one or both of the rolls in thecircumferential direction thereof. Another method is to carry outforming of the sheet and forming the grooves at the same time byextruding the sheet through a slit die corresponding to the crosssection of the grooved sheet.

The sheet is then moved toward the rolling-up or enrolling step inaccordance with the present invention. At this time, tension is appliedto the sheet at least at its front or leading end in the lengthdirection, i.e., at least at the position just before the rolling-upstep. Thus, the grooved sheet to be used in the present invention shouldhave ample strength to withstand this tension. In order for thefish-paste sheet to have this strength, it is desirable that thefish-meat protein be coagulated at least partly by heating.

In the case where the preliminary heating of the sheet is desired, thestep for forming the grooves is preferably carried out by the abovementioned pair of rolls.

The grooved sheet thus prepared is then sent to the rolling-up stepunder tension.

Rolling-up step

The operation of rolling up or enrolling the sheet is conducted by thefollowing steps carried out continuously.

(a) At the leading or front or downstream end of the sheet travelingunder tension applied thereto, this sheet is spirally and obliquelycurled into its upper surface with one lateral edge thereof as a core,the spiral curl thus formed being in a direction oblique to thedirection of sheet travel and away from the lateral edge forming thecore and extending at its front end beyond the opposite lateral edgethereby to form a curled body, as indicated in FIG. 1.

(b) The curled body (directed in the oblique direction) is then bent atan inflection point externally offset from the extension of the abovementioned opposite edge in a new direction approaching the sheet traveldirection and is pulled in this new direction, thereby applying theabove mentioned tension to the sheet and producing a rolled-up article.The curled body under the pulling force is supported at the inflectionpoint against the force so biasing the curled body that the curled bodytends to be parallel to the sheet-moving direction.

The operation of rolling-up the sheet according to the present inventionwill now be further described with reference to the drawing.

FIG. 1 indicates the principle of the rolling up of the sheet as viewedin plan view wherein the sheet is being moved horizontally in a steadystate.

In FIG. 1, a grooved sheet 1 has a spirally curled portion 2 and theresulting curled body 3 at its front end in the direction oblique (angleα) to the sheet traveling direction (arrow A) wherein one edge 1a of thesheet is rolled into a core. The curled body 3 is pulled around a guidepost means, which in the instant example is a rolling post 4 in adirection (arrow B) approaching the sheet traveling direction (arrow A).Thus, the sheet is rolled up continuously to realize the steady state asshown in FIG. 1 by drawing the rolled-up article 3a (downstream from therolling post 4 being designated 3a) successively. The direction B fordrawing the rolled-up article 3a is normally parallel to the sheettraveling direction A as illustrated in FIG. 1. The directions B and Aneed not always be parallel as long as the moving and rolling-up of thesheet 1 can be carried out without trouble. Also, the directions A and Bperpendicular to the surface of FIG. 1 are ordinarily parallel but arenot always restricted thereto.

The position (and construction) of the rolling post 4 are of importancein the principle of this rolling-up operation. The rolling post 4 mustbe located at a position external of the extension line 1b' of thelateral edge 1bopposite to the other edge 1a which constitutes the coreof the rolled-up article. More specifically, the position of the rollingpost (more exactly, the position of its part contacting the curled body3 as the curled sheet moves around the rolling post 4) should be nearlyon the extension line 1b' of the lateral edge 1bor at a position outsideof the extension line 1b' and apart from the sheet (i.e., down the line1b' in FIG. 1). The operation of rolling-up the sheet can be conductedsuccessfully by simply pulling the rolled-up article 3a, installing therolling post 4 at a position as described above, and changing thedirection of pulling the rolled-up article.

The rolling post 4 comprises an inflecting post means, preferably arotary roller having an axis perpendicular to the sheet surface (i.e.,direction perpendicular to the surface of FIG. 1), as detailed below.

Modification of the rolling-up steps, and treatment of the rolled-uparticle products

The rolling-up steps as described above can be changed as necessary byaddition thereto of a variety of modification or auxiliary steps. Forexample, although the sheet layers in the rolled-up article are bondedtogether and ordinarily formed into a rolled-up article withoutunrolling by the final heating, a bonding agent can be applied as acoating onto the sheet surface and then the coated sheet can be rolledup as necessary. For this bonding agent unheated ground fish meat havinga suitable composition can be used.

The rolled-up article produced in accordance with the present inventionis useful as a crab leg meat-like product. Thus, such rolled-up articleshave been colored exactly like crab leg meat. As is apparent from thecrab leg meat-like fish-paste products already on the market, a methodfor coloring the rod-like fish-paste shaped products like the crab meatis also known. Such a method can be employed also in coloring theproduct of the present invention.

Packaging of the present rolled-up article can be carried out accordingto a conventional method. One of the preferred methods for the coloringand packaging is to pack a rolled-up article with a packaging filmhaving a coloring material to be transferred and then to cause thecoloring material to be transferred onto the product by a procedure suchas heating.

It is of interest in the present process that the grooves of the curledbody 2 are arranged spirally around the circumference of the curled body(3) until the body reaches the rolling post 4, but the grooves becomeparallel to the axis of the rolled-up article (3a) after the articlepasses the rolling post 4 (cf. FIG. 1). Thus, the resulting rolled-uparticle (3a) can have the same texture as crab leg meat.

The ratio L/W of the distance L between the start point of curling ofthe sheet and the rolling post 4 to the distance W between the lateraledge of the start point and the rolling post 4 can be changed accordingto the conditions. The optimum value of the ratio L/W depends upon thethickness, width and/or hardness of the fish-paste sheet, the degree orhardness of the rolled-up article, the speed of pulling the rolled-uparticle, etc. The optimum value can be readily found by those skilled inthe art by a simple test.

Shaping Apparatus

The apparatus for shaping the fish-paste product in accordance with thepresent invention comprises a combination of the following essentialmeans A through D. One example is shown as a schematic side view in FIG.2.

(A) A pair of rolls for forming the grooves

As described above, it is preferable that the means for forming thegrooves be composed of a pair of rolls 11, 12 through which thefish-paste sheet is passed to receive the grooves.

Both of the two rolls have cutting blades in their circumferentialdirections because it is desired to cut the grooves on the both surfacesof the sheet.

(b) Means for moving the sheet

The means for moving the sheet which is to support the sheet coming outof the pair of rolls for forming the grooves and to cause the sheet totravel in its lengthwise direction can be any suitable means. One ofsuch means is, for example, a belt conveyer 13 which functions tosupport the sheet thereon and move the sheet. Another example of suchmeans is a roller conveyer. A belt conveyer is preferred from theviewpoint of moving the sheet stably.

(C) A rolling post means

The curled body 3 formed as described above passes in contact with aside portion of the rolling post 4. Moreover, the curled body 3 iscaused to change its direction and is pulled at this contacting point.Thus, the rolling post means should have small contact resistancebecause the curled body is pressed against the means with a considerableamount of force toward the side of the center of movement of the sheet(i.e., upward as viewed in FIG. 1).

Thus, a preferable post means is a roller 14. Other than a roller, thepost means may be a non-rotary means (specifically, a bar-like means)having a surface composed of a low-frictional material such aspolyethylene or polytetrafluoroethylene. Even in the case of a roller,it is also preferable to form the surface thereof with a low-frictionalmaterial as mentioned above. The roller 14 ordinarily is of acylindrical shape of a diameter which is constant with respect to itsaxial direction. The roller, however, may be of a shape wherein thediameter changes with respect to its axial direction such as a cone, awaisted drum, or a grooved roller.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 (and FIG. 1), the rolling post means has anaxis which is substantially perpendicular to the sheet surface, but thedirection is not always restricted to 90°. The rolling post means shouldbe located at a point on or outside of the extension line 1b' of thelateral edge 1b (at a point not above the extension line 1b' in FIG. 1)opposite to the lateral edge 1a which has been curled in as the core ofthe curled body 3 (cf. FIG. 1). The preferable position for installingthe post means is a point down the line 1b' in FIG. 1.

As it is clear from the above description and FIG. 1, the importantportion of the rolling post means 4 is the surface thereof where therolled-up article contacts the means under a pressing force and passesaround the surface. Thus the term "a rolling post means having an axisperpendicular to the sheet surface" as used herein should be understoodfrom this point of view and is not necessarily restricted to a bar-likemeans or a roller means. The term "axis" of the post means refers to thedirection corresponding to the axis of a roller when the surface of theroller around which the curled sheet body is wrapped and passed incontact therewith is defined as the side surface. Thus, the rolling postmeans herein may be, for example, a bar having a side edge portion whichhas substantially the same shape as the side portion of the rod-likeproduct. Also, in order to make the above mentioned L/W ratio optimum ingiven operations, the apparatus can be so designed that the position ofthe rolling post means is suitably adjustable.

(D) Means for pulling the rolled-up article

The means for pulling the rolled-up article in contact with the rollingpost means around the inflection point in the direction (arrow B inFIG. 1) approaching the sheet traveling direction and for moving thesheet 1 in its lengthwise direction can be any suitable means. One ofsuch means is, for example, a belt conveyer 15 which supports and movesthe rolled-up article. Another example of such means is a pair ofgrooved rolls which rotate by holding therebetween the rolled-uparticle. A belt conveyer is preferred from the viewpoint of moving therolled-up article stably.

(E) Optional devices

In additon to the above described essential means A through D, theshaping apparatus according to the present invention can be providedwith a variety of means or devices. One of such additional devices is anapparatus for coloring and/or packaging the rolled-up article. Asdescribed above, such an apparatus is known in the art.

Another example of such devices is a roller 16 (and a bonding agentsupply device 17) for preventing the moving sheet under tension fromfloating upward and/or for applying a coating of a bonding agent. SeeFIG. 2. It is preferable that the roller 16 have a length covering thefull width of the sheet 1 on the conveyer belt 13, and that the roller16 can press the sheet suitably so that it will not press the sheetexcessively against the conveyer belt 13. The device for applying acoating of the bonding agent may be of any construction which can supplya bonding agent to the sheet surface from a slit covering the full widthof the sheet.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a shaping apparatus and process whereinthe sheet is moved in the horizontal direction, but the apparatus andprocess according to the present invention can be designed to move thesheet in the vertical direction or some other direction.

While this invention has been described above principally with respectto its application to shaping of paste products from marine materials,the invention is not so limited in its applicability but can find use inthe shaping of a wide variety of products from sheet materials formedfrom paste-like materials. A few examples are other food productsproduced from grains, potatoes, and fruits, candies and confectioneries,and decorative articles.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for shaping fish-paste products fromfish paste materials, comprising, in combination:a pair of cooperativerolls provided with cutting blades and operating to clamp therebetween atraveling paste sheet of specific width an indefinite length and to formincision lines or grooves in the lengthwise direction of the sheet on atleast one surface thereof; conveying means for supporting the sheetemerging from between said rolls and for causing the sheet to travel inthe lengthwise direction thereof, the sheet, while thus traveling, beingsubjected to tension applied to the leading or downstream end thereofand being spirally and obliquely curled into a curled body having alateral edge of the sheet as a core and extending obliquely to the sheettraveling direction and outward beyond the opposite lateral edge of thesheet; guide post means disposed with its axis perpendicular to thesurface of the sheet at a position on or outside of the extension lineof said opposite lateral edge and functioning to inflect the path oftravel of said curled body wrappingly passed therearound from theoblique direction to a direction substantially parallel to the sheettravel direction, the curled body thereby being shaped into a rolled-uparticle; and tensioning means for applying a drawing force to saidrolled-up article thereby to apply aforesaid tension and cause thecurled body to travel around and past the guide post means.
 2. Theapparatus according to claim 1, in which the guide post means is aroller.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which the conveyingmeans comprises a belt conveyer.
 4. The apparatus according to any ofclaim 1, in which the tensioning means comprises a belt conveyer tosupport the rolled-up article thereon.